Clegg claims support for EU stance

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg claimed public support for his European Union referendum stance as he attempted to see off an internal revolt on the issue.

PUBLISHED: PUBLISHED: 19:15, Sun, Mar 2, 2008

Campaigners said 88% of Britons back a Lisbon Treaty referendum

But his charm offensive was immediately undermined by another survey which suggested there was little appetite for his policy among the party's own supporters.

An opinion poll carried out for the party by Mori found more than twice as many backed a public vote on Britain's membership of the EU than simply on the controversial Lisbon Treaty.

However an ICM survey carried out for the I Want A Referendum campaign group found 70% of the Lib Dems' own voters would prefer both questions to be put to the public. It was in danger of losing up to 15 seats at the next election over the issue, the poll suggested.

And the party's defence spokesman Nick Harvey publicly backed the rival findings, saying the party "would do well to reflect upon" them.

"The objection to a referendum on the Treaty is that it would not give people a say on the wider issue of Britain's membership and previous treaties. Clearly a two-question referendum would resolve that," he said.

Earlier, protesters scaled a crane near Parliament to demand a referendum on the EU Treaty. Two men climbed hundreds of feet above London to tell Prime Minister Gordon Brown to trust the people and hold a national vote.

The protest comes ahead of Wednesday's Commons vote on a Tory proposal to hold a referendum on the controversial agreement.

Opponents of the treaty, signed in Lisbon last year, say it is merely a rebranding of the EU Constitution, which was ditched after it was rejected by French and Dutch voters.

All three parties promised a vote on the constitution at the last election. But Mr Brown says a vote is not necessary because the Lisbon document differs significantly from the old constitution.